Engine construction



ay'12, 1942. E. s. HALL.

ENGINE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 9, 1939- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II'IIIIIIIIIIII' ay 12, 1942. s. L

ENGINE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 5M 5? W Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE CONSTRUCTION Edwin S. Hall, New Haven, Conn.

Application August 9, 1939, Serial'No. 289,149

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to engine constructions, and more especially to the fixed parts of engines.

It is particularly advantageous in engines of types having two sets of cylinders facing each other, as for example: horizontal opposed engines, and engines having cylinders parallel to the shaft and commonly known as barrel type or round engines. The invention may conveniently be described as applied to the normal type of barrel engine, that type having two similar groups of cylinders with a single reciprocatingrotary conversion mechanism between them, but

it is understood that it may be applied also to various other types of engines.

In the normal type of round engine, it would 2 be desirable to form both cylinder blocks inbut great care must be taken that the opposed cylinders be exactly coaxial for the proper operation of the common piston member therein. An object of this invention is to provide a construction in which opposite cylinders may be integral, insuring their alignment, while avoiding the difficulties of the longitudinal split mentioned above, the cylinder units being individual and assembled radially relative to the reciprocating-rotary conversion mechanism. Another object is to provide convenient and practical means for insuring an oil-tight closure about the working parts of an engine constructed with integral cylinder units in which double-ended piston members are operable. Another object is to provide easily replaceable cylinder units.

Briefly described, the invention comprises integral cylinder units extending between two similar casing members each common to all the cylinder units and forming therewith a rigid structure, with a cover extending from one casing member to the other and therewith forming a closure about the individual cylinder units.

In both the normal and opposed-piston types of round engines, it is economical and desirable to use two separate similar frame members each common to the several cylinders and containing the bearings which support the shaft. An object of this invention is to provide practical constructions of this character, with a closure extending from one common member to the other enclosing the cylinder members and the reciprocating-rotary mechanism.

A further object is to provide a type of construction for round engines which is especially practical for use in the production of large engines.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification and from the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section thru an engine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thru the fixed parts of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4- & of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. I is a longitudinal section of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, shaft Ill is supported in ball bearings II and I2 mounted in cylinder blocks l3 and I4. Cylinders l5 are tubular members each extending from one cylinder head to the other opposite headand forming a wet liner sealed inwardly by soft packing iii of rubber or similar material and at the ends by being drawn down against soft metal washers H by thru-bolts l8 and nuts I9 which draw cylinder blocks l3 and i4 together. Bolts I8 are symmetrically spaced about each cylinder sleeve [5 as shown in Fig. 2. Cylinders l5 are cut away symmetrically in their mid-region, providing for the interconnection of piston member 20 with shaft ill by means of wabbler 2i and its cooperating mechanism in a well-known manner.

While cylinder sleeve l5 extend thru the water jacket as wet liners, bolts I8 extend thru bosses 28 so that the coolant does not touch the bolts. Bosses 28 also serve to stiffen cylinder blocks l3 and I4. Bolts 18 are preferably necked down to the root diameter of their threads thruout most of their lengths, as shown in Fig. 1. Cylinder sleeves l5 may be made of steel or similar material having similar expansion coefficient with that of bolts i8.

At assembly, piston member 20 is assembled in its cylinder sleeve i5, and the piston and cylinder then assembled radially onto the wabbler mechanism, and then both are moved axially into one of the cylinder blocks. After the several cylinders with their corresponding pistons are thus assembled in one cylinder block, the other block is assembled, bolts l8 inserted, and drawn up by nuts i9, seating all cylinder sleeves [5 on their soft metal washers ll. Cylinder blocks l3 and preferable to seat them in counterbores 29 as shown in Fig. 1, hexagonal sockets 21 being formed in nuts 19 for the application of a hexagonal bar wrench. Counterbores 29 may also be tapped out for hollow plugs 23, which may be screwed in when it is desired to disassemble, nuts l9 being screwed outwardly against plugs 23 to jack cylinder blocks l3 and i 4 apart, making it easier to draw them off from cylinder sleeves i5.

Cylinder sleeves i5 are turned down on the outside to remove useless weight and to permit the coolant to flow freely between them and bosses 28 which house bolts l8, bosses 28 being trimmed to pass the largest outside diameter of sleeves i5 when the holes are bored in blocks 63 and M3 for sleeves i5. Sleeves i5 are left full size at their head ends where pressures are highest, and toward the central portion where grooves for the soft packing 35 are provided and where sleeves l5 are cut away to permitattachment of piston members 28 with the wabbler 2|.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, shaft 30 is supported in journal bearings 3! formed in inwardly extending portions of cylinder head members 33 and 34. Axial movement of shaft 38 is prevented by thrust bearing 32. Cylinders 35 are tubular members each extending from one cylinder head member to the other and each having its own water jacket 85 forming an annular passage from the water jacket chambers of one cylinder head member to those of the other, the interconnecting passages being thru gaskets 31 clamped between the ends of cylinder members 35 and cylinder head members 33 and 34 by bolts 38. Cylinder members 35 are seated in notches 38 formed in the inwardly projecting portions of cylinder head members 33 and 33, which together with bolts 38 produce a rigid structure of the whole. An oil-tight closure is formed by easing 8&1 extending from one cylinder head member 33 to the other 34, enclosing cylinder members 35 and the reciprocating-rotary mechanism.

Each piston member 48 carries two rollers 41 mounted on pins 42 for coaction with cam 33 which is fixed on shaft 38, these parts forming the reciprocating-rotary mechanism by which piston motion is converted into rotation of shaft 38.

At assembly, pistons Alli with their rollers 89 and pins 42 in place, are inserted in operable position in cylinders 35, which are then assembled radially in notches 39 of cylinder head members 33 and 34 which have been assembled previously on shaft 38. Then by bolts 38, the cylinder head members are drawn together upon cylinder members 35, whereupon casing 44 is added to form a closure between cylinder head members 33 and 34 enclosing cylinders 35 and the reciprocatingrotary mechanism.

The construction of the fixed parts of the engine shown in Figs. '1, 8, and 9, is essentially similar to that of Figs. 3 and 4, but the cylinders are ported for uni-=flow two-stroke operation. While the reciprocating-rotary mechanism of crankcase 82.

Figs. 3 and 4 is of the cam type, that of Figs. 7, 8, and 9is of the wabbler type.

Shaft 10 is carried in journal bearings 1| formed in inwardly extending portions of valve casing. members 13 and 14, axial movement of shaft 10 being prevented by thrust faces 12. Cylinder members 15 are tubular members extending from one valve casing member 13 to the other 14. Cylinder members 15 are seated in notches 19 formed in the inwardly projecting portions of valve casing members 13 and 14, and are clamped therein by bolts 18 and also by segments and bolts 11. Segments 16, together with the Walls in which notches 19 are formed, constitute bulkheads isolating the intake chamber 81 from the Casing 84 is wrapped around the engine and clamped onto soft packings 83 in grooves in casing members 13 and 14' and in segments 15 by the action of clamp bands 81 drawn up by bolts 88.

Each cylinder member 15 has inner and outer cylindrical walls, the inner wall 85 forming the cylinders themselves discontinuous in the central region. The outer wall 86 forms water jackets for cylinders 85 and in the central region forms a cylindrical crosshead guide 89 coaxial with cylinders 85.

Each piston member comprises pistons bolted to a central crosshead 90 by bolts 9|, pistons 80 being operable in cylinders and crosshead 98 in crosshead guide 89. In a cylindrical bore thru crosshead 90, wristpin carrier 92 is operable, wristpin 93 being fixed therein. Wabbler arm 94 operably engages wristpin 93, and is bolted to wabbler 95 by bolts 96. Wabbler 95 is operably mounted on swashplate 91 fixed upon shaft 10.

To assemble, swashplate 91 is fixed on shaft 10, and the body only of wabbler 95 is placed in operable position upon swashplate 91. Valve casing members 13 and 14 are slipped onto shaft 10, cylinder members 15 are inserted radially into notches 19 and bolted to casing members 13 and 14 by bolts 18. Segments 16 are bolted in by bolts 11, with suitable packing. Pistons 80 are inserted thru the handholes in cylinder members 15, after which each crosshead is inserted edgewise and rotated into operable position in its crosshead guide 89; then pistons 80 and crosshead 90 are clamped together by bolts 9|.

wabbler arm 94 is assembled on wristpin 93 and the latter fixed in its carrier 92, whereupon this wabbler arm assembly is inserted thru the handhole incylinder member 15 and attached to wabbler by bolts 96.

Soft packings 83 are placed in their grooves, and casing 84 wrapped around the whole, forming an oil-tight closure extending from one casing member 13 to the other 14.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the fixed parts only for an engine having pistons and wabbler mechanism similar to those of Figs. 7, 8, and 9. The structure comprises cylinder blocks 53 and 54, in which cylinders 55 and journal bearings 5| are formed. Crosshead guides 56 are tubular members extending from one cylinder block 53 to the other 54. Crosshead guide tubes 56 are flanged at both ends and are clamped to cylinder blocks 53 and 54 by clamps 51 and bolts 58, after which casing 68 is wrapped around blocks 53 and 54 and clamped to form an oil tight closure therewith.

Having thus described the invention, it-is clear that the objects thereof as stated have been attained in a practical and advantageous manner. While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown, it is understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an engine, two similar casing members spaced apart, chambers for cooling liquid formed in said casing members, cylindrical bores in saidcasing members in coaxial pairs facing each other, individual cylinder sleeves received by said pairs of bores, thru-bolts adjacent said sleeves drawing said casing members together tightly upon said sleeves, means for sealing said sleeves in said bores so that said sleeves form wet liners in said liquid chambers formed in said casing members, and casing means extending from one of said casing members to the other and therewith forming a closure about said sleeves.

2. An engine comprising two similar casing members, chambers for cooling liquid formed in said casing members, a shaft, bearings for said shaft in said casing members, a reciprocatingrotary conversion mechanism operable with said shaft and positioned between said casing members, cylindrical bores in said casing members in coaxial pairs facing each other, individual cylinder sleeves one in each of said pairs of bores, thru-bolts adjacent said sleevesdrawing said casing members together tightly upon said sleeves, means for sealing said sleeves in said bores so' that said sleeves form wet liners in said liquid chambers formed in said casing members, double-ended piston members operable in said sleeves and operably connected to said shaft by said conversion mechanism, and easing means extending from one of said casing members to the other and therewith forming a closure about said sleeves and said mechanism.

3. In a normal barrel type engine, two similar casing members, chambers therein for the cooling medium, a shaft, bearings for said shaft carried by said casing members, a reciprocatingrotary conversion mechanism operable with said shaft and positioned between said casing members, cylindrical bores in said casing members in coaxial pairs facing each other and parallel to said shaft, individual cylinder sleeves one in each of said pairs of bores, thru-bolts adjacent said sleeves drawing said casing members together J tightly upon said sleeves, means for sealing said sleeves in said bores so that said sleeves form wet liners in said cooling medium chambers, double-ended piston members operable in said sleeves and operably connected to said shaft by said conversion mechanism, and casing means .extending from one of said casing members to the other and therewith forming a closure about said sleeves and said mechanism.

4. In a normal barrel engine, a shaft, two similar casing members coaxial therewith, cylindrical bores in said casing members in two sets facing each other and parallel to said shaft, individual cylinder units seated in said bores and connecting said casing members, thru-bolts adjacent said cylinder units for drawing said casing members together upon said cylinder units thereby fastening said casing members together into a rigid structure, and means associated with said thru-bolts by which said casing members may be forced apart upon disassembly.

5. In a normal barrel-type I engine having a shaft and cylinders parallel thereto, with cylinder heads at both ends thereof,'and double-ended piston members operable in said cylinders and operably connected to said shaft: a construction for the fixed parts of said engine comprising two similar casing members spaced apart and coaxial with said shaft; individual cylinder members parallel to said shaft and extending from one of said casing members to the other; and, for receiving each end of each of said cylinder members, a plurality of substantially cylindrical seats formed in each of said casing members; said seats being coaxial but axially spaced apart to embrace axially space areas on the cylinder member seated therein to insure and maintain alignment thereof parallel to said shaft; and means for securing said cylinder members in said seats thereby fastening said casing members together upon said cylinder members in a rigid structure with said cylinder members in compression between said casing members.

6. In a. normal barrel-type liquid-cooled engine having a shaft and cylinders parallel thereto, with cylinder heads at both ends thereof, and double-ended piston members operable in said cylinders and operably connected to said shaft: a construction for the fixed parts of said engine comprising two similar casing members spaced apart and coaxial with said shaft; a chamber for cooling liquid in each of said casing members; individual cylindermembers parallel to said shaft and extending from one of said casing members to the other; and, for receiving each end of each of said cylinder members, a plurality of substantially cylindrical seats formed in each of said casing members, said seats being. coaxial but axially spaced apart to embrace axially spaced areas on the cylinder member seated therein to insure and maintain alignment of said cylinder member and permitting direct contact of the cooling liquid of said chamber with said cylinder member between said axially spaced areas; means for sealing said axially spaced areas in said seats to prevent leakage of said liquid; and means for securing said cylinder members in said seats thereby fastening said casing members together upon said cylinder members in a rigid structure with said cylinder members in compression between said casing members.

'7. A normal barrel-type liquid-cooled engine comprising two similar frame parts spaced apart; I

a chamber for cooling liquid in each of said frame parts, a shaft; bearings for said shaft in said frame parts; individual cylinder members extending from one of said frame parts to the other;

and, for each end of each of said cylinder memv bers, a plurality of substantially cylindrical seats formed in each of said casing members, said seats being coaxial but axially spaced apart to embrace axially spaced areas on the cylinder member seated therein to insure and maintain alignment of said cylinder member and permitting direct contact of the cooling liquid of said chamber with said cylinder member between said axially spaced areas; means for sealing said axially spaced areas in said seats to prevent-leakage of said liquid; means for securing said cylinder members in said seats thereby fastening said casing members together upon said cylinder members in a rigid structure; pistons operable in said cylinder members; a reciprocating-rotary conversion mechanism operably connecting said pistons with said shaft and positioned between said frame parts; and a cover extending from one of said frame parts to the other and forming therewith a closure about said cylinder members and said mechanism with said cylinder members in compression between said casing members.

EDWIN S. HALL. 

